Thursday, August 18, 2011

Oh, Canada. You can keep the geese

Most would judge me a kind man when it comes to animals -- not the reincarnation of St. Francis or even a vegetarian, but also not one who causes or rejoices in the gratuitious deaths of nature's creatures.

Yet I admit that I'm having trouble feeling too terrible about news reports that at least 16 Canada geese have been found dead in Chicago this week, evidently the victims of a bird disease. This protected species has become pigeon-esque, only they're more aggressive and leave far larger droppings than pigeons. And I can't say I'm saddened by the notion of a few less geese.

Highlights from an August, 1998 story by Tribune contributor Rachel Snyder headlined, "Honk if you love geese; To some people they're pests, but to others they're beautiful creatures that need protection" --

The plight of the Canada goose in northern Illinois has fueled numerous debates in recent years among homeowners, golf courses, corporations, schools, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Coalition to Protect Canada Geese, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and numerous others who have been affected by the ever-growing population of Canada geese, once an endangered species....As it currently stands, federal permits must be issued for anyone wishing to use means, including egg shaking to prevent hatching, to diminish the bird's population.

[Some animal-rights activists say the problem] was created by the game agencies that breed these birds for hunting.

...[Steve Wildes, the Fish & Wildlife Service's regional chief for migratory birds, says] that state and federal agencies took an aggressive approach to breeding the goose back from near-extinction not only for hunting, but for the public's education and enjoyment. He says that despite the opposition, everyone has a common goal.

"The goal needs to be that people have to figure out what an acceptable level of Canada geese is in their area. They're great birds and they're a great wildlife success story, but when you get too many," he said, "then people start to think of them as flying rats, and we don't want (them) thought of that way."

Because Canada geese are attracted to well-manicured grass and ponds in areas such as golf courses, park districts and schools, their numbers in these places have risen steadily in the past decade. At Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, the goose population has caused numerous problems for students and faculty. Ron Kurfirst, director of buildings and grounds, says that at one point there were 500 to 600 geese on campus.

"They were getting to be a nuisance," Kurfirst said. "There were bird droppings all over the place. (The geese) were even on the roofs of our buildings. The natural science department said they were polluting the ponds."

Fecal pollution is a common complaint in areas like Moraine Valley Community College that have large numbers of geese, but according to Frisch, these complaints have no basis.

"We've asked questions, and no one has been able to prove any health hazards," Frisch said.

She points to a recent letter from Dr. Gary Pearson, a waterfowl veterinarian and microbiologist in North Dakota who does independent evaluations of test results for the Coalition to Protect Canada Geese. He wrote, "The reports of bacteriologic testing of water samples collected contain no evidence that Canada geese were the source of the elevated levels of fecal coliforms found at three of the six sites sampled. Goose feces posing a potential health risk for those visiting swimming areas are without scientific foundation."

Another common complaint about geese is their aggressive behavior toward people. But Chuck Wills of Lisle, the Illinois coordinator for the Coalition to Protect Canada Geese, claimed that a hostile goose is merely protecting her young, and that often the hissing that alarms many people is actually a means of begging for food.

"Geese are incredible animals," Wills said. "We could learn from them. The flock is a family. The grandmother will help raise the young, and they mate for life."

Various solutions to control Illinois' goose population, which is put at between 70,000 and 139,000 geese by the state Department of Natural Resources, have been tried recently by facilities like Moraine Valley Community College. Some of these include inflatable alligator and swan decoys, lawn spray, habitat modification, noisemakers and dogs.

So far, the one thing that seems to be working are border collies or other breeds. Twice a day businesses such as Migratory Bird Management of Palos Heights walk the dogs around the campus and the geese scatter to surrounding areas.

"It's costly," Kurfirst said, "at $3,000 a month, seven days a week, twice a day. But we feel like it helps."

Allen Parkes, the golf course superintendent at Oak Hills Country Club in Palos Heights, said he, too, uses a dog to discourage the geese. Besides leaving messes, at Oak Hills the geese congregate on the greens, delaying golfers on the course.

"We've got 1,100 geese in the spring and fall," Parkes said, "and (the dog) chases them at night. But (in the morning) they're back. They get used to you, and you're not threatening anymore. They're like a relative who moves in and doesn't leave."...

Frisch believes that there would be fewer problems with geese if people were better informed about the situation. First, she believes the game agencies need to stop creating nesting sites. Second, she believes funds from the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937, which collects a tax on the sale of firearms to maintain hunting and recreation areas, should be reallocated into general revenue funds. And third, she believes that people need to know there are no known health hazards from goose droppings in scientific literature. "If you did these things," Frisch said, "you would restore a balance to nature."

Wills said most of the issues involved with the geese are matters of simple inconvenience. "The main thing (to teach) is tolerance, understanding and appreciation for these animals," he said. "We have to tone down the rhetoric."

Posted at 12:10:27 PM

Comments

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I'm all for animal rights but try dealing with Canada Geese groupies. I worked at a suburban office years ago where hundreds of geese congregated and the facilities staff reasonably attempted to move one of their nests, which had several eggs in it, away from a major entrance. The nest was maybe 5 feet from the door and the geese, which were about the size of a small child, were basically charging anyone walking in or out.

The geese people in the office went absolutely ballistic. Some of them sent companywide email screeds complaining the the company had promised not to do so, that they were going to report the incident to the authorities, etc. Made it impossible to have a rational discussion about it.

I like CGs. I shot and have eaten about 15 of them. I hate to see grown CGs die for no good reason.

If they can not be hunted by hunters – not exterminators – then shaking the eggs seems o.k. Having a trained dog chase them is acceptable. I really like to see coyote or fox get them. That seems very natural.

Oiling the eggs is a common method. Don't they have dogs chasing them on Chicago beaches? They are convinced they pollute the water there. In NY they have to exterminate some of them to protect aviation at LaGuardia. Scary beasts on the golf course.

The idiots running the Department of Sanitation in NYC is going to build a waste transfer station next to LaGuardia.
Their mayor won't listen as to how many more geese will be there.
So if there's another birdstrike on a plane, I really doubt that the crew will have the experience that the US Air crew had.

A lot of things taste gamey. But just imagine domestic goose and double the intensity of the flavor.

We stuff them with apples and prunes. The spice is marjoram. Red cabbage is a good side dish. So are wild mushrooms. Acorn squash is another good side dish. Cabernet Sauvignon is the wine of choice.

If you like liver pate – you should have no trouble with wild goose.

BTW: I can not eat venison from deer that lived in the woods. It is very gamey. The deer I have killed with a bow and arrow live in the lowland swamps and forest by day but come up at dusk to eat the farmer’s alfalfa and corn. This is almost indistinguishable from round steak.

--While I was bike riding I accidentally got too close to a Mama Goose and her little ones. She ran after me for a short distance making an impressively scary hissing sound. They are large birds, about chest high to a 6 foot person when an angry charging goose has its long neck fully extended. :)

--Do not even think Pittman Robertson funds (that are self imposed tax on hunters) would ever be used for General Funding. They can't manage General Funds and most states have well managed and self funding Wildlife Divisions. Most issues occur when the towns don't allow legal hunting, and populations get out of hand.
By the way properly handled and prepared game is far superior and healthier than any comparable store bought meat.

Even for those who for whatever twisted reason, cannot feel any justice for the geese, they might consider how our tax dollars are being squandered to round up and senselessly, brutally kill these birds.

All for the sake of a little "goose poop" on our fancy shoes!

For those who hate geese so much, flood your floors with Clorox and stay home.

The geese don't need you and neither do those of us who appreciate wildlife more than the objects we wear on our feet.

I imagine that even without teeth, bird beaks are pretty powerful and would be capable of injuring you.

And I can't help but think of the sad incident at Brookfield Zoo years ago where a middle-aged woman stepped over two barriers to pet one of the wolves, who bit her hard-and they had to shoot and kill the wolf in order to rescue her.

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